The Covenant
by TheLifeofaGhost
Summary: Inspired by "The Secret Circle". Caroline had found it weird when all her friends up and abandoned her for Rebekah Mikaelson. Like, 'Invasion of the Body Snatchers' weird. Turns out they're all just a bunch of witches. And she's the missing piece to completing their Circle. {Includes: Rebekah, Matt, Lexi and Hayley as mains} multipairings
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** The Covenant

**Category:** Alternate Universe

**Genre:** Supernatural/Romance

**Pairings:** multi

**Rating:** M

**Chapter Rating**: T

**Warnings:** Language, violence, and sexual situations

**Author's Note:** Inspired by series such as "Charmed", "The Secret Circle" and "American Horror Story: Coven".

Check out _Shadowglove'_s amazing epic "The New Circle". It inspired me to write this!

* * *

"_**There is darkness in light, there is pain in joy, and there are thorns on the rose."**_

* * *

Her eyes raked over the crowded cafeteria, a cool chill creeping up her spine at the familiar sensation of being watched. It had been like this for the past few weeks, the girl sighed internally, gaze flickering over the table that seemed to hold her attention more so than the others.

There they were again. The bane of her high school existence. The so-called friends she had known since the sandbox days, all with their eyes glued to her as if she were a Pariah or something. And she knew for a _fact_ there was nothing on her face or in teeth for them to be staring at her so intently.

She walked swiftly past them without even a nod of acknowledgement before claiming what had now become her seat in the lunchroom, at a neighboring table; occupied by more favorable company.

"Hey, Care." The older blonde greeted with one of her usual dazzling smiles. Lexi had been the _one_ friend from their original 'Scooby-gang', as Elena's kid brother liked to refer to it, that hadn't gone all 'invasion of the body snatchers on her' and completely ditched them.

Even now, it was hard to accept that her friends had simply traded her in for a newer, more English model. The mere thought of the She-Devil was enough to get her blood boiling.

"Lexi, is it just me or are they being extra weird today?" Caroline asked in response, eyeing her tray as if it were the least edible thing she'd ever seen in her life. She looked up, catching the blank stare the girl was sending over her shoulder to where the group sat before speaking up.

"Hate to break it to you, Carebear but I think they're plotting your murder." The blonde said a bit too loudly. A few heads turned in their direction with obvious interest in their eyes. Before Caroline could speak up the arrival of a few more familiar faces cut her off.

"Someone wants to murder Blondie? Where do I sign up?" Hayley voiced in question, a sly smile on her face as she slid into the seat across from them.

"Be nice." Tyler ordered, offering the blond an apologetic smile on behalf of his friend's remark.

Caroline rolled her eyes, opening up her chocolate pudding cup, the only thing that thing that appeared delectable. "You know, I sometimes wonder why people call you a bitch, Hayley. I mean, I just _don't see it_."

Lexi chuckled beside her, nudging the blond playfully as she enjoyed her small victory with a chocolate treat. It was strange that this band of misfits had become her friends, well at least Lexi and Tyler had. Without them she did not know where she'd be.

"Can someone please tell me we're getting drunk tonight?" Hayley began, kicking her feet up and planting them on the tabletop. The three turned to look at her questioningly before she continued. "The big bonfire tonight? You know, us underage kids, mackin in the woods with cheap booze and music."

The Lockwood nodded his head in understanding. She was right. Tonight was the night of Duke's infamous bonfire. It had only been the biggest topic circulating the locker room since Monday.

"That's right," Lexi spoke up, as if she'd read his mind. "Duke's big return party from Duke is tonight. We should go."

"I'm in." Tyler announced with a devious smile. "I heard Sophie's going stag."

"Sophie? You're trying to hook up with Slutty Sophie?" Caroline interrupted with a laugh, sharing a look with the other two girls of amusement.

"Good luck with that." The brunette said with a mock smile before adding as an afterthought, "I'm so not driving..._Car-o-line_?"

The three stared at her expectantly, all wearing mirrored expressions. She groaned. It was hard to say no when they were giving her the look. A small smile twitched at the corners of her mouth as she nodded in agreement to their unspoken request.

"_Fine_." Caroline said with an exasperated sigh, discarding the chocolate covered spoon from her mouth and setting it aside as she continued on, wearing a grin, "But I call dibs on first pick of prom dates this year."

* * *

It was hard not to laugh as the girl shimmed about her room, picking up knickknacks and things that did not belong to her before setting them back down and moving on to something else that had caught her attention. It was also hard to think that not only a few weeks ago, she had been the best friend of Stefan Salvatore, or the broody body snatcher, as they now referred to him, as along with the rest of their old friends who'd suddenly decided to play shut-out with them.

Caroline watched Lexi from her perch at the end of her bed as the music filled the space around them.

_It's all the same, only the names will change_

_Every day it seems we're wasting away_

_Another place where the faces are so cold_

_I'd drive all night just to get home_

This had been their song. The three of them. Lexi, her, and...Stefan. It was strange listening to it without him here to enjoy it with them, but then again, he was probably enjoying the company of another blond that night. She repressed the urge to gag at the thought of him and the She-Devil together. If they were in fact together. It was getting harder and harder to tell these days.

"_I'm a cowboy, on a steel horse I ri_—," Lexi sang, loudly, shaking her long blond tresses to the music before being shoved aside none too gently by Hayley.

"Quit hogging the mirror," The brunette snapped, although the playful smirk on her face was enough to let her abrupt rudeness slide. She touched up on her makeup, running a hand through her wild locks before turning toward them with the final product. "How do I look?"

A chorus of strangled sounds rang out through the room as the two blonds voiced their indifference. Hayley wore a dejected scowl as she plopped down onto Caroline's vacant lounge chair, toying with a lock of hair.

"When are we actually going to be having fun tonight?" She tried again, annoyed at the lack of effort on their part at their quasi-friendship. True, she did not like either of them and the only reason she could stand to be around them was because of Tyler, but seriously, they could at least _act_ like they were content being around her. If not for her, then at least for their mutual friend Tyler.

Speak of the devil. And he shall appear.

The boy sauntered into the blonde's room as if he owned the place, flashing them all a shit-eating grin. "Are we all ready to go ladies?"

Their resounding response of _yes_ was enough for him. He pulled something from his pant pocket. A set of keys, it appeared. He dangled them in front of Caroline's face, suddenly wearing the most serious expression she'd seen on him since that time in the fifth grade when he'd been campaigning for class president.

"Not one scratch. Got it?" He said in a low tone. The blonde smirked, snatching the keys out of his grasp before sliding off her bed and standing before him.

"Don't worry Lockwood," She responded evenly, patting him as if he were an infant on the cheek. "I'll take care of your baby."

* * *

When they arrive at the bonfire the party was already in full swing. All around them were classmates drinking, making out, and having _fun_. Fun, now there was something that hadn't been on her mind for a long time. Not since the 'Scooby gang' had disbanded. Not since her father had bought a one-way ticket out of town and her life forever. It seemed that she had a knack for having people she trusted turn their back on her when she needed them the most. Maybe she was cursed.

"I'm going to look for Sophie." Tyler announced, as if the entire world needed to hear about him newest pending conquest. He was gone a second later, darting through a crowd of partiers on his search for the promiscuous girl that would more than likely hook-up with him tonight.

"Pig," Hayley called after him, scowling at nobody in particular before slinking off to the nearest keg.

"And then there were two." Lexi snorted, crossing her arms over her chest and sending her companion a sidelong glance. As if the some higher power did not think she had suffered already tonight by having to put up with Hayley and a rather horny Tyler Lockwood, a rather promising male appeared before them, eyes set on the older of the duo.

"Lexi." The boy, Caroline recognized from their bio class, greeted warmly. What was his name? Louis...Larry...

"Lee," The older blond exclaimed, unable to hide the delight behind her voice at his sudden appearance. "Wha—Hi. I didn't think keg parties were your thing."

"Well, they're not but..." He paused, a shy smile gracing his handsome features before he continued, "I heard you'd be coming. Do you want to go somewhere and...talk?"

"Oh. Um—" She looked to Caroline for advice, who simply offered a reassuring nod and smile before answering. "Yeah, I'd really like that."

"Cool." Lee responded, smile bordering on painfully big, before casually leading the last friend the blonde had away for the night.

"And then there was _one_." She muttered under her breath, eyes sliding around her, looking for any other familiar face worth talking to. Her gaze fell over _them_ again for the second time, as the huddled under the gazebo, all drinking and talking among one another.

The first to abandon her had been the most unexpected. Bonnie.

It had been strange to consider the girl her best friend one day, and a stranger the next. And what was worse, the girl could not offer up a single explanation as to _why_ they could no longer hang out.

Following her had been Matt. Poor, sweet Matt. The boy she'd once believed would have never done anything to hurt anyone or make them feel like such an outcast. It stung worse than their break-up at the end of freshman year.

Then, like dominoes falling one after the other, Stefan and Elena had followed suit. They'd begun hanging out with Rebekah freaking Mikaelson, or She-Devil as she preferred to refer to her as. Which, in _every_ cosmic universe amounted to only one thing. They're minds had been taken over by aliens and Rebekah was the ringleader.

As if they could sense her hardened stare they all craned their heads toward her. Quickly averting her gaze, she drifted over to the bridge that overlooked the falls, thankful that for the time being it was just her out there.

"Caroline!" She stopped dead in her tracks. It had been a while since she'd heard her name on those lips.

The girl turned around slowly toward the sound, surprised to see the approaching figure of none other than Stefan Salvatore. Her eyes widened slightly before she quickly composed herself, a look of indifference usually reserved for Hayley etching its way onto her face.

"Caroline, hey." He greeted, acting as if this wasn't the first time they'd talked in weeks.

She fidgeted where she stood, internally debating on whether or not to just blow him off; turn tail and run.

"Hey." She hadn't meant for it to come out sounding soft, but it had. _That_ was the effect Stefan had on her.

"H—how are you?" The boy began, face a contortion of varying emotions that told her he was having as much of a difficult time with this as she was. The only difference was _he_ had been the one to turn his back on their friendship, not the other way around.

"Why are you talking to me, Stefan?" Caroline asked blatantly, running a hand through her hair. "Won't that piss off Rebekah...or something."

His expression reverted to one of sadness. "It's not like that, Care."

Stefan reached an arm out, hoping to offer some form of reassurance to her...comfort, but the blond wasn't buying what he was selling, no matter how sincere he sounded. She flinched away from his touch, taking a step back and reaffirming to herself that despite how much she cared about the Salvatore, he had contributed _nothing_ to the maintenance of their friendship.

"What's it like then?" Caroline snapped, raising her voice as a swirl of anger and hurt ran throughout her body. It was then that she realized that apart from feeling sad and insecure, she was also fucking pissed off.

A flickering of light overhead caught her attention. She looked up, frown on her face, observing as the string of lights lining the bridge walkway had begun to glare brightly down on them. Brighter than she'd ever seen them.

Something wasn't right. The lights seemed to be getting brighter as the seconds ticked by. Much like her anger.

"_Caroline_." The gentle voice called out to her, drawing her attention. She was met with a tight-lipped smile, a faint hint of something in his eyes as he stared back at her. The way he had spoken her name...it had been a long time since he'd used that undeniably sweet tone on her.

"I—gotta go." The words fell from the blonde's lips as she turned heel and retreated down the opposite end of the bridge, leaving the boy, who she had once held on the highest of pedestals for perfection, behind. They weren't friends. At least, not anymore. They'd made that perfectly clear with her and Lexi the moment they had shut them out.

Unlike the Stefan she had once knew, this one did not chase after her, did not offer an inkling of solace or comfort. And all she was left with now was the memory of what had once been. They boy she had once...

The blond snagged a red, plastic cup, filled with one on the greatest mysteries of life. Bottoms up, she thought as she downed its contents; face contorting into one of disgust before allowing the burn to travel down her throat and to the pit of her stomach.

"Caroline." Now there was a voice she knew all too well. With a defeated sigh, she turned to face the one person she disliked more than anyone, more than Hayley for that matter, in Mystic Falls.

"Rebekah." Caroline said evenly, mentally picturing the English girl all over Stefan. God, she hated her so much. The girl crossed her arms over her chest, already on the defense. This would be the first time that the She-Devil had ever spoken to her. Two 'body snatchers' in one day. Something was definitely up.

The offending blond squinted her eyes, almost staring through Caroline, with scrutiny. It was as if she were looking for something. The fact that the girl who had stolen her spot as Cheer Captain as well as her spot in the lives of her old friends was enough to send her emotions into overdrive once again for the second time that night. Was she so much better than her as a friend? She didn't even talk to anyone outside of the group she had formed with Stefan, Bonnie, Elena, and Matt.

"Can I help you?" Caroline spoke up in question, unease and irritation obvious in her voice at the unwanted attention being paid to her.

"I'm telling you it's not her." Rebekah ranted, and it was then that the blond in question noticed they were no longer alone. The other 'body snatchers' had joined their leader, all looking at her with different expressions, still holding the same level of intensity. Her gaze landed on Stefan's for a moment who offered her a smile of encouragement.

"She is. I saw," The Salvatore disagreed, taking a step forward, separating himself from the group and placing himself between the two blonds. "The lights were the brightest I've ever seen them."

With a huff, Rebekah peered over her shoulder, frown clear as day on her face. "That could have been a power surge."

"I'm telling you, it's Caroline." The girl was lost, trying to follow their conversation with no luck.

"Can you please not talk about me like I'm not standing right here?" She blurted out in agitation. "If this is some ploy—"

The thunderous echo of a 'slap' rang out through the woods. Eyes widening in shock at the assault, Caroline's hand flew to her cheek, glaring darkly back at the She-Devil.

"You Bitch!" She shouted and as she did, the wind suddenly picked up around them; a cold front of something that they could only describe as _pure_ energy circulating the ground in which the girl stood, in the form of moss and dead leaves.

"It is her." Elena whispered, voicing what was running through everyone's mind. Her brown orbs grew, head raising toward the sky as storm clouds began to swirl into form like a painter running their brush over a blank canvas with the darkest grays and blacks imaginable.

It was amazing. To think the one they had been looking for was Caroline Forbes. The girl who did not believe in all the 'woo-woo' witchy stuff. To think...

A roar of thunder broke her train of thought.

"Caroline—" Bonnie began with a worried note in her voice, although she wasn't looking at the blond. In fact, it appeared as if her attention was focused on the dark clouds above head. A flash of lightning seemingly close by made them all jump.

"If she doesn't calm down, she could hurt someone." Matt warned as another flash illuminated the night sky.

"Caroline." A voice called out to her, somewhere far off in the distance...It was hard to focus on its source, not with the sudden feeling of fire running throughout her body. The tingling sensation in her hands, the slight sting in her cheek a reminder of the pain she'd been feeling since her friends abandoned her. "Caroline, look at me."

A feeling of warmth graced her body, a pleasant feeling. Her eyes focused on the face that was now only a hair's breadth away from her own. Forest green orbs gazed into hers, pleading with her.

"Breathe." He spoke softly, hands traveling from her shoulders and cupping her cheeks gently. The blonde stared back at him, a storm of emotions flashing across her face. His fingers stroked along the line of her jaw, brushing the corners of her lips as he did his best to soothe the girl. "That's it."

Stefan nodded his head in encouragement as the blond followed his instruction, mesmerized by the sea of blue in her eyes. "Breathe in, breathe out."

The first drops of rain fell a moment later, and then a downpour.

"They made it rain," Matt spoke in awe, eyeing the two. "It really is Caroline."

There was utter surprise in his voice at the realization. They had found their sixth. The final member of their coven. Their circle. The missing piece had been in front of their faces all along.

"Wha—what are you talking about?" Caroline asked in obvious question after a beat, turning away from the Salvatore and his touch to address the group.

"There's no easy way to say this, Care—" Bonnie began before breaking off.

"I didn't quite believe it myself when they told me," Elena picked up, offering her a halfhearted smile. "The thing is, Caroline, you're a—"

"You're a witch." Rebekah sighed, ignoring the roll of eyes from her friends at her lack of tact. "We all are."

"Oh my god...you are all crazy." Caroline stated as it was the most logical explanation she could come up with for their sudden interest in her after so many weeks of making her feel like an untouchable. The only reason she could muster out as to why Stefan would suddenly talk to her after so long. She ran a shaky hand through her damp hair, pushing her bangs back and out of her face.

"Caroline," His voice drew her attention away from the others, and he took hold of her hand. She could not deny there was a spark of electricity that flew up her arm and down her spine at the contact. Her eyes flickered down to where their hands touched. A strange sensation of understanding filled her as she looked up, meeting his stare. His nod was the only confirmation she needed.

For as long as she'd known the boy, she had believed every word that had ever fallen from his lips. And now, it seemed she still did. How could she not, with such honesty behind those green eyes. It wasn't just that either, it was the slight earnestness behind them as well that got to her.

"I'm a—I'm a witch."

.

.

.

tbc

please leave a review / sorry for any mistakes made, they are all my own


	2. Chapter 2

**Title:** The Covenant

**Category:** Alternate Universe

**Genre:** Supernatural/Romance

**Pairings:** multi

**Rating:** M

**Chapter Rating:** T

**Warnings:** Language, violence, and sexual situations

**Author's Note:** Inspired by series such as "Charmed", "The Secret Circle" and "American Horror Story: Coven".

******Note: To the reviewer who asked about tagging Elena/Bonnie but not including them on the list of mains: They are main characters. I can't tag every main character, which is why the ones that aren't tagged are listed. Sorry for the confusion.

* * *

"_**There is darkness in light, there is pain in joy, and there are thorns on the rose."**_

* * *

Witch. She was a _witch_. Or, at least that was what they believed her to be.

"I'm not a witch." She said, trying to convince herself of that fact more than anyone else. She drew her hand from Stefan's hold, taking a step back, reassessing everything strange that had happened that night. The lights, the sudden change in weather…all that could be explained.

"Yes, you are." Rebekah snapped, before turning her attention to Bonnie who looked like a deer caught in headlights. "Call your grams, tell her to meet us at Fell's Church."

"You can't honestly be thinking about binding the circle _now_. Caroline, _just_ found out." The blond boy spoke up in shock at the order. "Shouldn't we give her some time to, I don't know, come to grasps with what she is."

Still, they talked about her as if she weren't even there. It was infuriating. And worse than that, she was beginning to believe every word coming out of their mouths. The only other option was that they were in fact crazy, and while the prospect of that would explain the sudden shift in their friendship that had occurred since the arrival of Rebekah, they just seemed so adamant in their belief.

"Do you think that the Witch Hunters will wait around for us to get our acts together?" The She-Devil interjected before anyone else could speak up their disagreement with her plan. "Don't forget that they could strike at any time, at any one of us if we aren't ready."

Witch Hunters? Bind the Circle? She was feeling lightheaded all of a sudden. This was _way too much_ for her to handle in one night. She was still coming to terms with the fact that they all were—could be witches.

"I'm outta here." The blond declared, earning their attention before retreating back toward the bonfire, leaving them all behind. This was insanity. There was no such thing as witches, or witch hunters for that matter. And what was so important about a circle? It was just a shape.

She could hear the faint sound of them calling after her to come back. But there was no way in hell that she would allow herself to be roped in with them and be sent off to the loony bin.

She found Hayley where she'd left her. Drowning her sorrows in stale beer, talking up a burly redhead she recognized as one of Tyler's teammates on the football team. Rolling her eyes, she stormed over to them, grabbing a hold of the girl's forearm none too gently and dragging her away.

"Sorry, dude, but you are not getting lucky tonight." Caroline informed him offhandedly over her shoulder, ignoring the Brunette's protests as she sought out her other two companions for the night. She led the way toward the road where they had parked Tyler's car. It was nowhere to be found.

"Seriously! You've gotta be kidding me!" The girl exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air in exasperation. There was no way the Lockwood had ditched them by taking the car to hook up with Slutty Sophie, because she had the keys. Unless...she brought a hand to her pocket, feeling around for them. Empty. He must have taken them from her before he'd wandered off, she thought with an agitated snort.

"I cannot believe him." Hayley spoke up, expression probably mirroring her own. "He left us here."

"Where's Lexi?" Caroline inquired, recalling she had left the girl with Lee, who if she was not mistaken had a car.

"She left with Lee. You know, girl has gotta get her freak on some time." The brunette informed her with an almost proud grin before realizing the situation they were in. To put it in the nicest way possible, they were up shit creek without a paddle. They'd have to walk at least ten miles to get back into town.

"Maybe—" The sound of an engine and a pair of approaching headlights cut her off as an all too familiar blue truck came into view.

The driver rolled down the passenger's side window before offering a small smile. "Need a lift?"

Hayley exhaled with relief, giving him a smile of her own. "Matt Donovan, my hero."

Without a second thought the girl opened the door, sliding inside and waiting for the blond to join them. She hesitated, eyeing the boy suspiciously before claiming the empty space in the now cramped truck, closing the car door behind her.

She remained silent the entire drive, up until they'd dropped the brunette off first at her apartment before making their way down her street. It wasn't until Matt pulled up alongside the curb in front of her house that he spoke up.

"Look, Care, I know this all seems crazy and you're more than confused, but..." He paused, sensing that there was something she wanted to say but was afraid to. He could see it in her eyes. When they had dated it had been hard for her to hide what she felt from him. She was just that way. She wore her heart on her sleeve, not matter how tough she tried to act around all of them.

"Whatever it is you guys _think_ you're doing, I don't want any part of it." Caroline stated, putting a hand up to silence him as he shifted in his seat to interject. "Please, Matt. Just...be careful."

And with that, she climbed out of the car, giving him her back as she traveled up the driveway toward her front porch; hearing the distant sound of tires peeling away and out into the night. Eyes downcast caught a glimpse of a pair of black boots. Boots that she distinctly recalled buying over a year ago.

"Stefan?" His name whispered on her lips was enough to draw his attention. He turned on the heel of his boot, hands in his pockets as he watched her approach hesitantly, steps uncertain. He sometimes forgot the effect he had on her.

"Hey." He breathed out, taking a step toward her so that they stood face-to-face, under her porch light.

"Wh—what are you doing here?" Caroline stammered, the same overwhelming feeling that had ran through her when they touched washing over her. But there was something there else too. She couldn't deny the...obvious _attraction_ she had for the boy.

"I came to see you...I know tonight was a lot to take in." Stefan admitted, face clouded by the mere idea that they might have scared the girl away with Rebekah's approach. It had been crass and dangerous trying the anger the girl into using magic—magic she hadn't even realized she had. He had gone for a gentler approach, and had felt enough energy from her to realize that she was the one they'd been looking for.

And it had never felt so right...doing magic with the girl. It had felt _right_.

"Having my friends _abandon_ me the middle of junior year is a lot to handle. Thinking I had done something _wrong_ or that I wasn't_ good_ enough to was a lot to handle. But this...this is _impossible_." Caroline stated abruptly, tears she had been holding back for weeks threatening to finally fall. But she couldn't allow herself to cry. Not in front of him.

"That's what you think we did? Abandon you?" The Salvatore inquired, unable to mask the hurt and guilt behind his words. He took another step toward her, slowly closing the distance between them as he continued. "Caroline, I'm so sorry if that is how you've been feeling, but...we've been going insane having to keep our distance."

"What?" Caroline breathed as he continued.

"Sheila made use swear not to tell _anyone_, Care. And believe me, we wanted to. I wanted to." Stefan admitted, reaching a hand out to her and placing it on her shoulder. "But I couldn't look you in the face and _lie_ to you or Lexi every day. None of us could. It's why we've been keeping our distance."

She stared back at him incredulously, "We had no explanation, Stefan. _Nothing_. What were we supposed to think? Plus, you had Rebekah. It wouldn't be a stretch to think—"

"Wait! Me and Rebekah?" The boy interjected, eyes wide in confusion as he slowly began to piece the puzzle together. "You thought I—we ditched you for Rebekah? Caroline, I—"

He grasped her shoulders firmly, pausing as he drew her head toward his in one swift motion. Their lips met in a clumsy kiss, and her blue orbs grew at the sudden intimate contact before she realized what was happening. Stefan Salvatore was kissing her, her mind echoed. A hand traveled to the base of her neck, angling her head slightly as his tongue slid past her lips, swallowing her gasp of surprise.

A moan emitted from the base of her throat and he took that as an invitation to continue, his free hand moving to wrap around her waist, pulling her soft front against his hardened body.

He could feel it. The surge of magic erupting between the both of them. It was..._euphoric_. Something he had never felt before when trying to do magic with the other members of their would-be circle. It was an indescribable sensation. Like a million stars burning brightly around them, enveloping them in a cocoon of powerful energy.

All too soon, she pulled away. Trying to catch her breath.

"Wow." The blonde said between breaths, eyes flickering to meet his, a glimmer of wonder behind them. "Did you feel that?"

Stefan nodded slowly, something over her shoulder catching his eye. "Care..."

The girl followed his gaze, turning around slowly, uncertain of what to expect when she did. She narrowed her eyes, vaguely making out the silhouette of a figure standing in the middle of the street in front of her home. Watching them. She felt her pulse quicken, as her mind ran to the first possible explanation she could formulate. Rebekah had mentioned something about witch hunters. If she was a witch then that also meant that these witch hunters were real, and they were after them. And then like a flash of lightning in the dark, the figure was gone.

"Get inside." The boy ordered, taking her hand and pulling her toward the entrance of her home. "Lock your doors, okay?"

She nodded despondently, unlocking the front door and crossing the threshold. She turned in the doorway, "Stefan..."

"Yeah?" Caroline paused, uncertain on whether or not she should give him the hope. Even if it was only an inkling of it. But tonight had proved to her that something was up. With her friends, and she was somehow involved in it. And even though they hadn't acted like friends in a long time, that didn't mean she wanted to see anything bad happen to them. Not if she could help it.

"There's no harm in_ listening_ to what Shelia has to say."

* * *

"What happened to you last night?" The blond inquired on approach to her friend's locker, taking note of the fact that she was not wearing the same outfit she'd been wearing the night before which meant one of two things. Either she had not hooked up with Lee, or he had been kind enough to give her a ride back home after to change. "You left me alone with Hayley. Never a good idea."

"I'm sorry." Lexi apologized, closing the door of her locker and turning to face the younger girl. "Lee offered to take me home after some idiot tried to get handsy with me."

"Really? Oh my god, are you okay?" Caroline asked worriedly.

"Yeah, I'm fine." The blond brushed off, almost jumping out of her skin however when a face she hadn't talked to in what felt like months appeared standing behind her companion. "Stefan?"

"Hey, Lexi." He greeted as if it were the most natural thing in the world. She could not ignore the awkward tension between them. It was almost tangible.

"Hey," Lexi replied in turn, eyes falling to where the boy's hand moved to rest on the curve of Caroline's hip. He leaned into the girl, mumbling something inaudible to her in the blonde's ear, who nodded in response. A second later, he was gone with nothing more than a small smile offered in her direction, heading down the cramped hall to his next class. "Anything you would like to share with the rest of the class?"

Her tone was highly suspicious. And although Caroline couldn't tell the girl about all that had happened last night, there was still _one_ thing she could offer up.

"We kissed," Caroline admitted, though she spoke so low that the older blonde had to strain her ears to hear her.

"You two what?" Lexi squealed in utter disbelief, frozen in shock; the sounding of the school bell quickly pulling her back from her ever racing thoughts. "I'm sorry. I thought I heard you say you kissed Stefan."

"Technically, he kissed me." The girl corrected, leading the way down the now almost empty hall toward their French class. "He showed up on my doorstep after the bonfire."

She held her books to her chest, giving her friend a sideways look, trying to gage the blonde's reaction. This was possibly the _last_ conversation she had pictured the two of them having. Especially since they had established at the start of their friendship an unspoken rule: never go there with Stefan. He was the one, decent guy (aside from Matt) that they knew, and while the prospect of dating him was not that far of a stretch, it could inevitably lead to the end of their friendship if things didn't work out.

As they approached the entrance of their class, Lexi reached out and grabbed a hold of Caroline's arm, gently but firmly. She eyed the girl, a sigh escaping her lips as she spoke up, "You should go for it...I mean, if that's what you're worried about. Because I totally support whatever decision you make."

And that's why they were such good friends. Lexi was understanding. She accepted all aspects of what made the younger blonde who she was. She even appreciated the parts of her that were a bit controlling and neurotic.

A wide grin flickered across Caroline's face at her companion's words, "C'est pourquoi je t'aime."

* * *

'_Tonight. Fell's Church.'_

His message had played in her head like a broken record. Tonight was the night. She was going to learn more about this supposed coven of witches they wanted her to be a part of. And Sheila was going to be the one to educate her. Sheila—the woman Bonnie claimed for years was simply an alcoholic, old lady that had bought a one-way ticket to crazy town.

But here she was anyway, ready to listen to whatever Grams, as Bonnie usually referred to her, had to say. Her eyes drifted across the ruins that had once been Fell's Church; the sudden sensation of eyes on her drawing her back to yesterday. It was the same feeling that had been churning in her stomach under the scrutinizing looks from the so called band of witches she was supposedly destined to be a part of.

"Caroline." The sound of her name, alerted her to the arrival of the girl who at a point in time been her friend. The Gilbert girl appeared a few feet away, coming out of the foliage of trees and night, shouldering a backpack and wearing an uncertain smile.

At one point in time they had also been rivals, though the brunette never acknowledge the fact.

"Hey." Caroline found herself responding as the girl drew near, noting the lines of sleep deprivation under her eyes.

"I—I'm glad you decided to come." Elena said after a moment, to which the blond simply shrugged. It was not as if she had one hundred percent accepted that she might be a witch. There were just some things that were suddenly starting to make sense, questions she needed answers to, and the only one who could provide the answers happened to be Sheila Bennett.

"Caroline," Another familiar voice called out to her. Her attention shifted over Elena's shoulder to where the two members of the supposed circle were incoming. The voice had belonged to Matt, who offered her a boyish grin. She couldn't help but smile in return, but just as quickly as it came it was gone when her eyes slid to the blond holding onto his arm. She inwardly cringed at the sight. So she had been wrong in her assumption that Rebekah had been after the Salvatore.

"You actually showed." Rebekah bit out, staring at the blond through narrowed eyes.

Caroline slid her hand into the pockets of her dark coat. "I promised Stefan I would."

At the sound of his name, the boy appeared; almost as if he had been summoned. He stood at the entrance of what appeared to be a set of stairs leading down to a tomb. His green orbs flickered to the blond, making her heart jump before nodding his head for them to follow.

It was dark. And cold. As they neared the bottom of the cobblestone staircase, there was a sudden pouring of light that filled the empty space. There Sheila Bennett stood, Bonnie only a few feet away, leaning against the tomb door. Her expression spoke volumes to the seriousness of the situation. She was usually not so fidgety. Stefan paused, eyeing Caroline for a moment.

"I see what you mean." Shelia spoke up to no one in particular, weathering gaze falling to the blond as everyone moved to stand around the two in observation of the interaction. Caroline gulped as the old woman circled her slowly, carefully. "Such _energy_. It's practically radiating off of her."

"Energy?" Caroline spoke up in a weary tone. Uncertain if she liked the sound of that.

"Your magic. It's strong." Sheila explained, taking a step back and turning toward Stefan with a raised brow. "You said you two made it rain."

He nodded solemnly. "It was the most power I've ever felt."

The old woman turned back to stare at the blond thoughtfully. "Did they tell you, _why_ you're here?"

"They said—I'm a witch. That we're supposed to bind a…_circle_?" Caroline spoke up with uncertainty. It sound crazy to her own ears, and yet they all believed it to be true.

"Binding a circle of witches is very serious business." Sheila said with a clarity that the blond was not usually used to. Especially coming from a woman she recalled being liquored up through most of her childhood visits to the Bennett residence. "Especially now that there are hunters aware of you all."

Hunters? That did not sound good.

"What do they want?" Caroline inquired, eyes flashing to the voice that had decided to respond.

"What do you think?" Rebekah snapped, crossing her arms over her chest and staring at the girl as if she were an idiot. "They definitely don't want to bake us cookies."

"_Rebekah_." The Salvatore reprimanded, sending her a look that clearly said to behave.

"I'm sorry. I didn't have to be here." Caroline responded in turn, tired of the treatment she was receiving from the girl who had basically been single-white femaling her since her arrival to town. The blond turned as if to leave, only to be stopped by the familiar touch of a hand on her shoulder.

"Caroline, don't go." Elena pleaded, pulling her hand back to her side once she had earned her attention.

Caroline sighed, closing her eyes and thinking of all the reasons they did not deserve for her to stay. It was not hard to come up with more than a few. But…a part of her…somewhere deep beneath the annoyances and frustrations she knew she couldn't. Leaving would mean putting an end to whatever it was that could help rectify their past friendship.

"We can't do this without _you_." She added, her doe-eyed glance hitting her where it hurt. Right in the heart. It was a natural response…to want to help the girl. Ever since her parents died and she'd been left orphaned, Caroline had been there for her. That didn't simply stop because they were not exactly on the best of speaking terms.

Her gaze moved passed the brunette to Sheila who took the look as a sign to continue.

"They want what all Witch Hunters want. To put an end to magic." There was a darkness in her words that sent a chill of fear down her spine. If that were true then that meant she was also in danger. That thought alone was enough to put a damper on her plans for the perfect prom—or the racy thoughts she'd been having about Stefan ever since their kiss the night before.

"They plan on wiping us out Care." Matt elaborated, baby blue eyes racked with a fear that she noted was mirrored in the faces of the others. Even Stefan.

"The only way we can protect ourselves is if we bind our magic to one another." Bonnie spoke for the first time that night. Her face was hardened, like her grandmother's. "It will give us the power and control we need in order to protect ourselves."

"I—I don't understand." Caroline stammered, gaze sweeping across their faces. "You're witches. Shouldn't you be able to protect yourself with your own magic? Why do you need mine?"

Rebekah scoffed, rolling her eyes before speaking up. "The spells we can do now are amateur at best. Think lowbrow magician but without the slide of hand."

"She's right." Elena agreed, "That rain storm—that was _real _magic."

Everyone nodded in agreement; eyes staring at her as if she were suddenly some rare commodity.

"Without binging the circle we run the risk of losing control of our magic. It would be unreliable in a fight against a hunter." Rebekah continued with the voice of unquestionable knowledge. "A bound circle offers safety in numbers."

Her mind was racing a mile a minute. There were too many factors to consider. She was potentially in danger. They all were. And it seemed the pressure was all on her to come to a discussion. This was worse than the times she'd been caught between her mom and dad in an argument. At least with them, there was no possibility of death.

And now they were all looking at her with expectant looks. She did the first thing she could think of in such a situation. She hightailed it out of there.

.

.

.

tbc

please leave a review / any mistakes are my own


	3. Chapter 3

**Title:** The Covenant

**Category:** Alternate Universe

**Genre:** Supernatural/Romance

**Pairings:** multi

**Rating:** M

**Chapter Rating:** M (slightly)

**Warnings:** Language, violence, and sexual situations

**Author's Note:** Inspired by series such as "Charmed", "The Secret Circle" and "American Horror Story: Coven".

****Note**: If you have not heard, Daniel Sharman will joining the cast of "The Originals". I loved him in "Teen Wolf". Since he is officially a part of the TVD/TO universe I decided to incorporate him into this story. Also, the beginnings of smut that may or may not tickle your fancy. You've been warned.

* * *

"_**There is darkness in light, there is pain in joy, and there are thorns on the rose."**_

* * *

There was no denying something was up. If the looks they were sending her way was any indication. She squared her shoulders, dropping her eyes down to the textbook laid out before her and tried to ignore the heat of their intense stares. At least before she could pretend those looks were from whatever fantastical idea she formulated in her brain for that day. But now…now she knew _exactly_ what they meant. They were waiting for her to make a decision, hopefully the one they all wanted.

"What is up with _them_?" An unfamiliar voice spoke up from beside her. Her eyes flickered to the empty seat in the library that was now being occupied by someone she had never laid her eyes on before. He sent her a sidelong look before pulling out the same history book that was in front of her.

"I'm sorry…do I know you?" She asked after a beat, watching him as he thumbed his way through the text. He looked up, sly grin crossing his face at her politeness. She froze as, blue orbs locking on blue in that moment as he stared back at her.

"Probably not," Was his only response. Well he definitely had the dark and mysterious down to a science, she thought. He continued, indicating to the table where Elena, Bonnie and Stefan sat with a nod. "But really, what's with them?"

Caroline sighed. She had been avoiding any and all questions from Lexi on the matter of Stefan and by extension the entire group. There was not much to say—at least nothing that would make sense.

"They have been staring at you since I walked in." The boy informed her, as if she had not already known. It was hard not to feel their probing eyes dancing across her table. The fact that none of them had moved to approach her was a miracle in itself.

"I hadn't noticed." She responded, making a point of returning to her reading. She had an exam in Mr. Tanner's class over the Civil War that was not going to study for itself.

A laugh rumbled in his chest that was sent a rush of warmth to her stomach. It was hard to ignore an attractive, seemingly normal male specimen. And it appeared that Stefan did not like the attention she was being paid by the stranger, if the dark glimmer in his eyes was any indication.

"I'm Kaleb." He spoke, answering the question that had been on the tip of her tongue since he sat down.

"Caroline." The blond offered her name with a smile that did not quite reach her eyes. There was something about him that was incredibly alluring. She could not quite put her finger on what that was though.

"I know." Kaleb said with a flair of arrogance that she usually found overbearing, yet worked coming from him. She rose a brow at his words, before he clarified that he was in fact not some stalker. "We have history together."

Her eyes fell to the book in his hands. Of course, she had noticed it before. She just hadn't put two and two together.

A soft grin played at her lips as she returned his stare. "Right…you're the guy that sits in the back. I remember now."

He grinned in turn, shrugging off-handily. "I can't help if Tanner's rants kill my day-to-day buzz. The further away from him I am, the better."

She had to agree. It was a widely known fact that Mr. Tanner wasn't exactly the most liked member on the faculty, not that she had ever personally had any problem with him. Though he wasn't particularly biased when it came to students. Anyone and everyone was a possible target for his torment.

"Funny." Caroline simply said, collecting her book and notebook. Her free period was almost up and she rather not get cornered by the trio of witches on her way to AP Chem. "It was nice meeting you."

She did not give him a chance to reply, sliding out of her seat and from the library with a swiftness that surprised even her.

* * *

She was doing a lot of running—and even more dodging.

What she could not avoid, or have even predicted, was being cornered in the sanctity of the girl's bathroom. When the two faces appeared in the mirror, she had turned quickly, back pressing into the porcelain sink and eyeing them suspiciously.

It was one thing for Bonnie to approach her. It was another for the She-Devil to do so too. In all honesty she wasn't sure she trusted the blond as far as she could throw her. But then again, maybe her magic could toss her pretty far.

"What do you two want?" Caroline spoke before either could, gaze shifting between the two uncomfortably.

"I just wanted to see how you were doing." Bonnie admitted, the worry on her face evident. It really made it hard for the girl to play the defensive when one of her best friend's was in such a state.

"I'm fine, Bonnie." She said, although even to her ears it sounded like the lie that it was. Of course she was not_ fine_. She would never be fine. Not again. Not anymore. She was a witch and there were people out there that wanted to kill her. It was a lot to take in at once. "I'm _fine_."

"Great." The other blond exclaimed, clapping her hands together; wearing an expression of determination. "Now on to business—there is still the matter of binding the circle."

"Rebekah—really _not _the place to be discussing this," Bonnie grumbled, peeking behind her to make sure no one had entered the bathroom and heard the slip. There was a secrecy that they had to live with if they wanted to be safe.

"Look, I understand the importance of the situation you guys are in—" Caroline began before being interrupted.

"It's not just us, Caroline. You're a target too." There was an undeniable truth in that fact. No matter how much she wanted to ignore that, it would not be so.

"Could you…just give me a few days?" Caroline asked softly, gaze pointedly at the Bennett who was in fact the more understanding and reasonable of the two. "I just—I need to think."

Bonnie nodded slowly, a small, sad smile on her lips. Rebekah remained silent, which the blond took as her cue to leave before she changed Bonnie's mind for her. Grabbing the backpack that had been at her feet, she shrugged it on, sliding past the two and out the door.

And came crashing right into someone else.

Her eyes widened on impact, sliding up to the face with a look of surprise.

"_Stefan_." She breathed out, recognizing those forest green eyes the instant she saw them. He stared down at her, equally unprepared for the unexpected collision. His gaze shifted passed her to where Rebekah and Bonnie slinked from the restroom after her, catching them in a knowing gaze before they retreated in the opposite direction.

Obviously on the hierarchy of witches he was ranked higher. Which begged the question why it always seemed like Rebekah was in charge.

"They weren't bothering you, were they?" He inquired, serious-look on his face. It was a look she had grown familiar with during the course of their friendship.

"No, no they just wanted to talk." Caroline found herself answering. The last thing she wanted was to cause drama among the circle.

Stefan eyed her skeptically before visibly relaxing. The subject suddenly shifted to one that threw her off kilter. "Who was that guy?"

"Guy?" She questioned with uncertainty.

"In the library." He elaborated, shoving his hands into the pocket of his jeans in a manner that made her think that this conversation was more than casual. The blond took a moment to study his face. It was visibly tense, dark brows scrunched up in anticipation, lips set in a tightlipped smile in an attempt to appear reserved.

He was jealous.

"Are you…_jealous_?" Caroline asked with a sudden element of amusement in her tone. His eyes narrowed at her words.

"No." Stefan responded simply, before adding as an afterthought, "Should I be?"

The blond shook her head, the familiar sensation of warmth pooling into the pit of her stomach as the Salvatore reached an arm out; wrapping it around her waist and pulling her small frame against his. Even in the crowded hall it was a sight that drew a lot of attention. She was definitely not used to _this _side of Stefan.

Before she could object to the display, his lips claimed hers in a searing kiss. It rivaled their first in intensity, sending waves of pleasure throughout her body that she was sure Stefan was experiencing as well. Her hand found the nape of his neck and she raked her nails through his head of hero-hair as Lexi had once referred.

A moment later, he pulled away.

"Wha—" He was gone before she could formulate a coherent word. Off to his next class she imagined if the hustle and bustle around her was any indication.

With a sigh she made her way to class, finding her assigned seat by the panel of windows off to the left of the room. She did her best to ignore the looks she received from Matt and Elena who sat a few rows directly away from her. As much as she missed them, she could not possibly deal with anymore of the witchy 'woo-woo' discussion today. Anymore and she was not liable for what might happen.

A familiar face slid into the empty seat in the row beside her. Today was simply not her day, she thought as he turned to offer her a lazy grin.

"Hey, Care." Tyler greeted, as if the last time they had spoken he hadn't ditched her and Hayley without a ride. She scowled at the look of utter smugness on his face. Of course his night had ended how he planned. He was Tyler freaking Lockwood and he had practically left her to deal with the aftermath of storm Hayley, which by the way had not been as fun as he might have thought.

"Don't hey me, Lockwood." She snapped, reverting to last names.

"Whoa, now." He began, raising a hand in faux surrender; though for what he was unsure. "I just wanted to know if you were coming to the homecoming game tonight."

She blinked. Of course, the homecoming game had been the last thing on her mind. But it was just what she needed to distract herself. Bonnie and Rebekah had agreed to give her a few days, which meant she was on borrowed time for normalcy. There was no telling when shit would hit the fan and the hunters would start rolling in to town for them.

"You'll be there, right?" Tyler asked, fixing her with an impatient stare.

"Yeah. Sounds like a killer time." Caroline answered, though the boy's attention had already moved to the front of the class. What was with him?

* * *

The tailgating had begun a few hours before the game. She had found her way around the crowded parking lot, recognizing the faces of classmates that she did not particularly feel inclined to talk to. Not when she was on the lookout for Lexi and Hayley (the latter of which was not particularly preferred company). They had agreed to meet her there. And yet they were nowhere to be found.

She was beginning to suspect this last ditch effort at playing normal was not in the cards for her. Already her body was beginning to miss the incredible surge of energy she had created with Stefan that night. And it was a scary notion.

"We meet again." The deep voice announced from behind her. The blond suppressed the urge to jump at the unexpected sound, and instead turned on her heel; coming face-to-face with library guy. He offered her an unbashful grin before pushing a red cup into her hand. She stared down at it for a moment before speaking up.

"My mom's the Sheriff." She informed him in case he was unaware. "I _really_ hope you are not trying to roofie me right now."

That earned her a laugh. She had to admit it was a very sexy laugh, and she admired the way his head fell back as the sound left his lips.

"I definitely don't need drugs to get a girl to say yes," He said through his laughter, finally calm enough to take a sip from his own cup.

"Cocky much?" Caroline joked with a grin that more than likely mirrored his own. She was used to the flirtations. And entertaining the idea of a normal guy being interested in her gave her the normalcy she had been searching for ever since she found out she was a witch. Sure, Stefan had kissed her. _Twice_. But he had made any attempts at forging a relationship with her. And there was nothing wrong with a little harmless flirting.

"Very," Kaleb responded with a wider grin, if it were even possible before his attention shifted to the figure approaching them from behind.

"Caroline!" Hayley called out to her, dragging Lexi behind her by the hand as they neared. "We have been looking everywhere for you."

"Hey guys," The blond greeted, observing the obviously buzzed brunette with interest.

"Who is this?" Hayley inquired, the wheels already turning in her head as she eyed the tall boy as if he were prime male real estate. Which truth be told, he was.

"Kaleb, girls. Girls, Kaleb." Was her simple introduction, though the brunette made it a point to make herself known to him, earning an eye-roll from both girls.

"I'm Hayley." She informed him, offering him her hand, which he took in his. His blue eyes focused on hers and he sent her a smirk before pulling his hand back down to his side. Of course, he would be used to girls throwing themselves at him. Although, it was strange that no one she knew seemed to know him. She surmised he was one of those rare, hot loners that were about as abundant as unicorns.

Wait, unicorns could be real. Witches and hunters were.

"Lexi." The older blond stated, already disinterested in the boy. It was not his fault she had already set her sights on Lee. The two had practically been glued to the hip since the bonfire. Which made it even stranger that he wasn't there with her now.

As if reading her mind, Lexi added, "Lee is waiting for us by his truck."

Caroline understood what that meant. Turning her gaze to Kaleb she said. "Thanks for the drink."

She allowed herself to be dragged away, though it appeared Hayley would much rather stay and chat up Kaleb. With a sigh, Lexi grabbed a hold of her hand as well as they left him there looking puckish; he watched them go with a mischievous smile, lifting his cup in salute to Caroline when she peered over her shoulder back at him.

* * *

A scream tore through the night like a knife. Eyes turning to the source and following it to the teacher parking lot located at the back of the school, away from where students had been celebrating the victory of the Timberwolves. She felt the familiar rush of dread as she followed the crowd, being flocked by Lexi and Hayley, toward the noise.

The scream…it had been familiar. Too familiar. And she was suddenly on edge as she shoved passed the throng of students and faculty until she stood at the mouth of the horde. In the eye of it all. Only a few feet away lay the charred body of someone…she couldn't tell who. And hovering over it, in a state of utter shock was Elena.

The blond caught movement from the other end of the circle that had wound its way around the two. Stefan and Matt pushed their way through, eyes locking on her from across the way before rushing to the Gilbert girl's side. There were hushed murmurs amongst the crowd, a few pulling out their phones to call the police.

The look that they had given her. It was enough. She knew _exactly_ what it meant.

And it scarred the shit out of her.

"Caroline." She felt a tug at her arm, pulling her from her thoughts. She turned, recognizing the tall-tale signs of fear on the face of her best friend. There was no way she could tell Lexi, she realized. Not without running the risk of driving the girl completely mental. She suddenly realized the extent of what they had meant…about not telling her.

Some people would never be able to handle the truth.

"Let's get out of here." Caroline spoke, looking between Lexi and the very silent Hayley. The two simply nodded, allowing themselves to be dragged away from the scene and to the safety of her car. In all the craziness one thought occurred to her. Tyler had been nowhere to be found. He had not made an appearance during the tailgate and even after the game had not shown his face.

That was unlike him. He usually went out of his way to annoy her and that usually required that he be present.

* * *

Her mind was still reeling from the events that had transpired that night. Even as she stepped out of her shower, shrugging on her baby blue bathrobe, she couldn't stop her mind from jumping to all the possible explanations for what happened. Someone had been burnt alive. She had not seen a fire or smelt smoke; but the evidence was undeniable if her mom had anything to say about it.

She raked a hand through her mess of blond hair as she stepped out into her bedroom. She finally did jump out of her skin, eyes falling on the figure sitting at the edge of her bed, toying with her stuffed teddy.

"_Wha_—Kaleb?" Her eyes widened as he stood, tossing the bear absentmindedly behind him as her mind raced to formulate some sort of explanation as to why he was standing in the middle of her bedroom. "What are you doing here? And how do you know where I live?"

That smug grin that she was beginning to think was a permanent fixture on his face returned as he spoke. "I know you wanted to kiss me tonight."

The blonde frowned at his arrogant remark. Even if it were true, it was no reason for him to sneak into her bedroom in the middle of the night. Her mother would throw a gasket if she found him there.

He took a step toward her, eyes falling to the loose knot of her bathrobe. She suddenly very aware of her lack of dress underneath, and the fact that the soft material fell mid-thigh. Not exactly the most modest thing to be wearing given the situation she had seemed to find herself in.

"_Oh wow_. You're delusional." Caroline responded, though insulting him was probably not the best option considering her mother was on duty, busy with a dead body to deal with and a possible pyromaniac murderer on the loose.

She took a step back. He took one forward. It was almost like a dance between the two of them.

"I'm not too sure about that." Kaleb mused eyes darkening, as he paused mid-step.

"You actually think that I would want to kiss you?" The blond exclaimed as if it were the most ridiculous notion in the world to her. "After you sneaked into my bedroom?"

A thoughtful expression crossed his face for a moment, his eyes downcast at her words. She hoped he would take the hint and leave before she seriously tried some of that witchy juju on him. But when he looked up there was a challenge behind his blue orbs.

"You sure?" He asked in a lower voice, hands moving to the hem of his shirt and pulling it up and over his head in one swift tug. Her eyes were suddenly glued to the expanse of tan, hard skin, noting as an afterthought that he had let the shirt drop to his feet. She swallowed, taking in the impressive display; gaze trailing down to the plane of his abs, over the bellybutton to the deep-v that dipped beneath the hem of his jeans.

Caroline nodded slowly, though when he moved to approach her she found herself rooted where she stood.

"_Never_." The word tumbled from her lips, but even as she spoke she knew it was a lie. His hand fell to the knot of her robe, tugging on it gently until it fell loose, exposing a soft, creamy white breast. The pink nipple hardened with the sudden exposure.

She gasped, orbs widening as the boy's hand moved to palm it; his calloused fingers pinching the sensitive bud. An embarrassing heat pooled in the pit of her stomach. Desire. Lust. His touch was _sensational_. Her thighs rubbed together as he dipped his head, lips finding the curve of her neck to be particularly delectable.

For a moment, her mind went to Stefan. The boy she had been in love with since the moment she laid eyes on him. How would he feel about her kissing another guy?

Before she could come to the logical conclusion, his tongue dipped between her lips; once again clouding her mind with undeniable pleasure. Her eyes fluttered closed and she was aware that she had slid a leg up and around his thigh, unconsciously pulling his hard front against her soft, aching center. He deepened the kiss, hands dipping down to the curve of her ass and pressing her harder against his growing erection.

She shot out of bed, eyes readjusting to the darkness of her bedroom. She tried her best to catch her breath as beads of perspiration trickled down her neck. What had _that _been? A dream, she surmised, bringing a hand to her temple and rubbing the dull ache that had awoken her. If finding out she was a witch wasn't bad enough, now she had to deal with eerily realistic sex dreams.

"Seriously?"

.

.

.

tbc

please leave a review / any and all mistakes are mine


	4. Chapter 4

**Title:** The Covenant

**Category:** Alternate Universe

**Genre:** Supernatural/Romance

**Pairings:** multi

**Rating:** M

**Chapter Rating:** T

**Warnings:** Language, violence, and sexual situations

**Author's Note:** Inspired by series such as "Charmed", "The Secret Circle" and "American Horror Story: Coven".

****Note**: Character death fast approaching. You've been warned.

* * *

"_**There is darkness in light, there is pain in joy, and there are thorns on the rose."**_

* * *

"You had a…_sex _dream about him?" Lexi asked after the blond had told her the story of her very, explicit experience. It was really the only seemingly normal thing she could really bring up about the night before that didn't include a corpse charred to a crisp in the faculty parking lot. She assumed by the squeamish look in the older girl's eyes every time they passed someone in the hall talking about it that it was a topic to best steer clear of. Which worked out for her seeing as how she was sure it had something to do with the witch hunters considering the worried looks she had caught during lunch being exchanged between the Circle.

"It's pretty pathetic when dream-you is getting more action than actual-you." Hayley piped in as the three walked down the busy hall. She sent the blond a curious look. "You're not switching boys are you? I thought you were on Team Salvatore."

Caroline rolled her eyes. Of course the only thought to make it to the girl's head would be whether or not she'd have competition for Kaleb's attention. At one point it had been her, thinking the same in regards to Elena. And even then she knew it was not the most flattering character trait about her.

"All yours." She responded quite simply. Although whether or not the boy would be interested in Hayley was the real mystery.

"Perfect." The brunette purred with delight, mind already churning with ways in which to more than likely catch the boy in her web of love. How quickly she had shifted her attentions from the Lockwood. She had been sure the girl was infatuated with him.

"Hey, has anyone seen Tyler?" Caroline spoke up, voicing the thought that had been on her mind since he complete lack of absence from the celebration. Both girls shook their heads as they approached a crossroads.

"Not since the game." Lexi informed her with an absence of worry in her tone. It was not like her to worry over Tyler, seeing as she knew the boy could take care of himself.

Hayley shrugged. "Don't know. Don't care."

Although Caroline wanted to agree with her she was beginning to get restless. If there was one thing she knew, it was that Tyler enjoyed a good party. Even if the drinking had to be down to a minimum (with teachers watching). He wouldn't miss a party. Especially one that was basically in his honor.

"Don't you have class with him later today?" Lexi offered. It was a small hope, but it was enough to put her at ease. She nodded her head in response. "There's your answer. Don't worry so much."

But worry was all she could do. Even with the knowledge that she'd have her confirmation in only a few short hours of his safety. She could not ignore that somewhere out there, was a killer that had set someone on fire. Fire. Hadn't they burned witches at the stake?

Caroline cringed at the mental picture. It terrified her. The knowledge that there were people out there that wanted her dead...it terrified her down to the very core. Maybe there was something to what Rebekah had been saying, as hard as that was to admit. Maybe there was safety in numbers.

"I—I'll talk to you later," The blond decided, turning away from the two and heading down the hall toward her history class. She pulled her cell from her pocket, quickly typing a message before sending it as she entered the small room. She had almost expected to find Mr. Tanner sitting at his desk, ready to chew her out for having her mobile out. But instead, behind his desk stood a younger, easier on the eyes model. He greeted her with a smile and nodded for her to quickly take her seat.

"Good morning everyone." He spoke up, in a youthful voice as the bell rang indicating the beginning of class. He turned his back to the class, picking up a piece of chalk and scribbling a somewhat legible name on the board that read: ALARIC SALTZMAN.

"Alaric Saltzman. It's a mouthful, I know. It doesn't exactly roll off the tongue." He continued dusting his hands on the legs of his denim jeans. "Saltzman is of German origins. My family immigrated here in 1755 to Texas. I however was born and raised in Boston."

Caroline slunk in her seat, feeling her phone vibrate against her thigh. She pulled it out, careful not to be seen by the new teacher before letting her eyes glance down at the screen.

'_Are you sure?_'

Quickly typing a response and hitting send, she returned her attention to the front of the room where Alaric was finishing up his introduction.

"Now the name Alaric belongs to a very dead great grandfather I will never be able to thank enough. You'll probably want to pronounce it al-er-rick but its Alaric. Kay? So you can call me Ric." He stared around the room, eyes finding hers and holding her stare for a moment before looking away. He added thoughtfully. "I'm your new History teacher."

* * *

'_Let's do it.'_

His eyes skimmed her short text. He could only guess what had spurred on her sudden decision. Mr. Tanner had been killed; and the fashion in which had been done was a warning. Sheila had informed her of the dabblers in town. People with no natural magic but who had somehow managed to learn the basic of tricks. Tanner had been one of the names of that very short list of practitioners. His death—it meant that there was a hunter in Mystic Falls. Maybe two. It was hard to determine how many had been needed to end the man.

"What did she say?" The gentle, prodding voice of Elena asked as he stuffed the mobile back into the pocket of his leather jacket. He looked up, catching the glimmer of hope in her eyes. Already the girl was on edge; it was understandable considering she had been the one to find the man's body. The only ray of hope they had of surviving the witch hunters was by binding their circle and getting a hold of their power.

"She's in." Stefan informed her, voice low as to not draw attention to themselves. The middle of their English class was probably not the best place to have the discussion. Too many prying ears.

The brunette let out a breath of relief at the news; tension visibly lifting from off her shoulders.

"Hey," He began softly, placing a comforting hand over hers. Stefan offered a sympathetic smile. "How are you holding up?"

There had been pure terror in the girl's eyes when they had found her with the charred corpse. They had to practically pull her away, as she had been frozen in shock, from the body; and help her hold it together as Sheriff Forbes managed to get down her statement.

Her lips curved into a pathetic smile, brown orbs lowering to where his warm hand covered her own. "I'm okay."

He gave her a skeptical look, which earned a soft laugh from the girl.

"Really, I am. Jenna and Jer were great about the whole…_finding a dead body thing_." Elena told him matter-of-factly. "And now that we're finally binding the circle, we'll have the strength we need to protect ourselves."

Stefan wished it really was that simple; that binding the circle would put an end to their hunter problems. But he wasn't that naive. Not with the knowledge Sheila had afforded him over the history of witches and hunters. No, hunters were crafty…and dangerous. They had been killing witches for hundreds of years. They would never stop. That didn't mean being in a circle didn't have its advantages.

* * *

"Caroline." She paused at the sound of her name. The blond turned, eyeing the tall boy as he exited after her out of the classroom. That was right, they had history together. It was not as if she had been intentionally avoiding him. It was just—it was hard to look at him knowing that he had been a star in her explicit fantasy.

"Hey." The girl stammered, eyes falling to her feet as he approached her. He wore the same smirk that had been on his face the night before. It did not appear as if he were the least bit fazed by the death of Mr. Tanner, which was not all that strange when one remembered how much of an ass Tanner had been.

"Last night was crazy." He said, staring down at her with those blue eyes that could pierce through her and spark daft desire in the pit of her stomach. Kaleb did not give her chance to respond, adding with interest evident in his tone, "Does your mom know what happened?"

Oddly enough, he had been the first person to ask. Everyone knew that she was the Sheriff's daughter, she just assumed that they didn't want to know if there was a pyromaniac running loose in Mystic Falls. Something about the bliss of ignorance; it sounded rather appealing to her as well. Truthfully, she could never go back to the way things were before. Not after finding out she was a witch. Not after learning that there were people out there that wanted her dead. If there was one thing her mother had taught her, it was self-preservation.

She shifted her gaze over his shoulder, catching a glimpse of Rebekah standing at her locker; watching her and Kaleb like the hawk that she was. She imagined begin in a circle meant that she would have to put up with the girl.

"Not really," Caroline answered truthfully, returning his attentions. From what her mother had told her, they could not find the location where he had been murdered. The parking lot had been a dump-site. The question she was left with now was _why_. "Other than the fact that he had been burned alive…"

"Weird," Kaleb responded as if it were not the most gruesome thing he had heard before. She was beginning to think that there was something not-right about the boy, which was a shame because he was cute. Maybe he was perfect for Hayley. Both seemed to have a screw loose somewhere. "Anyway, how was the rest of your night?"

Her mind immediately jumped to the dream. The very, _very_ realistic dream she had of him. Her eye's dilated at the memory, throat suddenly dryer than a desert and she averted her attention to Rebekah, who at this point seemed like the lesser of two evils. Kaleb cocked his head to the side, eyeing her oddly; almost as if he knew exactly what was going through her head. Which was impossible.

"I—oh, look, there's Rebekah!" She exclaimed after an awkward moment of silence. The blond moved around him, throwing a fleeting glance over her shoulder at him before approaching the girl that had been enemy number one since her arrival.

"Stefan tells me you've agreed to bind the circle." The blond spoke up before Caroline could manage a proper greeting. She raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow in surprise, though she somehow knew she shouldn't be. It was Mystic Falls after all. News traveled fast.

"Yeah, well I figured the hunters had something to do with what happened to Mr. Tanner." Caroline admitted. Although why they would go after Tanner was a mystery. Unless, "Was he a witch too?"

It would make sense. If the witch hunters were in town, why kill Tanner unless he was one.

Rebekah laughed, as if it were the most absurd thing she had heard. "Hardly. He was a dabbler."

"A…_dabbler_?" The blond asked, brows scrunching up in confusion. She was not aware that there was anything more than witches and hunters. It was beginning to look as if there was a lot more she needed to learn if she wanted to survive. And fast.

"Short version. Dabblers have no natural magic." Rebekah informed her with an air of superiority that Caroline chose to ignore. She slammed her locker door shut before continuing. "They pick up a few tricks here and there but they're the lowest of the low on the totem pole of magic."

Caroline nodded her head in understanding, falling in to step with the girl as she sauntered down the hall.

"Long version. They _borrow_ magic from actual witches, and I use the term borrow loosely." There was a scowl on Rebekah's face that reflected a disgust Caroline did not understand. "But they aren't born with magic which is why it can be too much for them, Exhibit A, you've seen Tanner. His power made him arrogant, too arrogant for a dabbler."

"And they killed him because—"

"Because he used magic." Matt finished for her, appearing behind Rebekah. He slung an arm around her shoulders, pulling her to his side before continuing. "Hunters don't discriminate."

"Well at least they have morals." Caroline huffed, looking between the two; noting the serious expression etched on the boyish face of the Donovan.

"We're meeting tonight." He spoke up, gaze pointedly on Caroline. She nodded in understanding. "Same place."

That meant she had to sneak out of her house again to meet them all at Fell's Church, not there would be anyone there to catch her. Her mother was still adamantly working on Tanner's murder case. She was bound to be working a double down at the station.

"I'll be there."

* * *

Tyler had not been in class.

And worse, she was officially worried. Not that there was much she could do about it now. Not until the circle was bound and they had control over their magic. Hell, maybe there was some kind of locator spell they could use to find him. Not that she had jumped to the conclusion that he was missing just yet. For all she knew he could have just stayed home.

Although the fact that he hadn't answered a single text she had sent him put her on edge.

The sound of her window being rustled open pulled her from her thoughts. She jumped from her perch at the edge of her bed, turning toward the intruder and bringing a hand over her racing heart.

"Hey." Stefan raised his hands at her alarm. It was a nonthreatening gesture. She was two for two when it came to guys sneaking into her bedroom, although the first time did not technically count since it was a dream.

"Wha—what are you doing here?" The blond got out, certain that this was definitely not her imagination playing tricks on her. She still had to meet with the rest of the circle to perform the spell that would bind their magic.

"I wanted to see you." He admitted as she slid passed him and closed the window. "You know, before we do this."

"Oh." Caroline murmured, turning around to face him. She crossed her arms over her chest, not quite sure how to act around him. Not since they had kissed for the second time without so much as of a word from him as to what it had meant. In all honestly it was confusing.

One moment he was all business with the witchy woo-woo and the next he was kissing her. It was getting hard to keep up.

"Caroline, are you sure you're ready for this?" Stefan asked her, closing the distance between them until their faces were only a hair's breathe apart. He brought a hand to her shoulder, the rough pads of his fingers burning a hole through the thin cotton shirt she wore. It was strange—the incredible effect he had over her. Over her body. One touch and she felt as if she might come undone. "Binding the Circle—it means you're in this with us."

Her eyes meet his. In them she saw something that she had not seen since the first time they had met.

"A Circle is complicated. And we have to rely on one another to watch our backs." He continued, hand moving to cup her cheek and crane her head so that their noses touched and his cool breath fanned across her lips as he spoke. She nodded in understanding, eyes slipping to his perfect lips before flickering back up to meet his forest green orbs.

Her hand moved on its own accord, coming up to grab him by his shoulder. He lowered his head, capturing her lips in a rough kiss that cast out all doubt from her mind. In that moment she could feel everything he was feeling.

Desire. Longing. Love.

It was not a quick kiss, as the other two had been. No. He took his time exploring her mouth. His hands slid down from her face, exploring the curves of her body, earning a moan of appreciation from the blond. He pressed her body into his harder, fingers finding the arc of her ass and pausing in his ministrations. It was reminiscent of dream-Kaleb, although he had been more aggressive with his caresses. Stefan murmured something against her lips and it took her a second to realize that his hands had returned to her hips.

"_What?_" She whispered as he pressed a chaste kiss to the corner of her mouth before answering.

"They're waiting for us." He said again, grin tugging at his lips at her Stefan-induced daze. The blond blinked up at him, a sheepish smile gracing her countenance as he stepped away from her and toward the window once more.

"Right." Caroline murmured, nodding as her thoughts ran wild. Mostly she wondered what binding the circle would entail. "We're not going to have to sacrifice a goat or anything like that, right?"

Stefan turned from the newly opened window, sending her a look that confirmed the words to come from her mouth had been ridiculous. He chuckled, shaking his head as he climbed out of the window; he extended a hand out for her to take. "Nothing like that."

With a sigh, she took his hand; climbing out onto the roof and down the tree that had been growing by the window since before her family had ever moved in to the home.

* * *

His eyes fluttered open. An ache at the back of his head—he shut his eyes at the pain. He had been in the locker room, changing to join everyone at the victory party when he'd been attack. He had not seen it coming. Hell, who would want to pick a fight with the Mayor's son?

He tried to sit up, realizing his arms and legs were bound to the cold concrete slab he'd woken up on.

"He's awake." A low voice announced, and his eyes flashed to the source. His orbs widened at the sight of a cloaked figure, appearing out of the darkness and approaching him with steady, predatory steps.

"What the hell!" Tyler exclaimed, trying his best to jerk away from the figure as it reached out a darkly gloved hand to prod him. The cloaked man tsked as an eerie silence filled the cold space. The boy looked around the room, noting that other than his captor, there were two others. And it appeared he was at their mercy.

"What do you want?" He growled out, heart jumping as he caught the glint of a blade. They were going to kill him, he thought, struggling against his bindings and screaming for help. For anyone. The figure brought the dagger to his throat, sufficiently silencing him before answering.

"I just need you to send a little message." The figure informed him in a low baritone that was meant to soothe but only served to petrify Tyler. His face froze as the blade danced across his throat, leaving behind a thin trail of blood; the source of his life seeping from the cut slowly, blemishing the growing sallow skin. Blood curled in his mouth, and reflexively he tried to bring his hands to the wound; in some way save himself from the slow torturous death.

The figure turned away from his sputtering body, twirling the dagger in his hand as he spoke. "Soon enough we will have the power we need to summon our leader. This is simply the first step."

The prison that had trapped their master had been forged from the blood magic of the circle that had once called Mystic Falls home, all those years ago. Over a hundred years had passed and finally, after all his waiting, a new circle had ascended. And they had now found their remaining member.

A young girl with exceptional magic. Power that he would use to release their leader from the prison he had been banished. All he needed was the right method of persuasion and she and the rest of her Circle would be the key to unlocking a Pandora's Box of to their own personal hell on earth.

.

.

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tbc

any and all mistakes are my own


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